> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.paxton.ai/help/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.paxton.ai/help/matters/using-matters-in-paxton.md).
# Using Matters in Paxton
Matters in Paxton are dedicated workspaces where you can organize all your work related to a specific legal case or client file.
Your **matter** sits at the center of everything you do in Paxton. Chats, documents, drafts, and the record you build from them all live inside the matter they belong to. This article explains the model, what each part of a matter does, and how to find work that was created before matters existed.
#### What a matter is
A matter is the container for a single client or case. Everything you do in Paxton — every conversation, every uploaded document, every Medical Chronology — belongs to a matter. Grouping work this way keeps each client's materials separate and makes it harder to accidentally mix files or chats across cases.
A matter also carries context that Paxton uses on every question you ask: the jurisdiction shown under the matter name, the documents in Matter Files, and the drafts and chats already produced. That's why you don't have to re-attach files or restate the jurisdiction each time you start a conversation.
#### Inside a matter
Open a matter and the left sidebar takes you to its parts:
* **Back to all matters** — return to your matters list
* **Matter Overview** — the at-a-glance summary: skills, files, drafts, chat history, and collaborators
* **Matter Files** — the organized file structure, including folders such as Medical Chronology folders
* **Matter Record** — structured outputs built from the matter's files: Matter Timeline, Medical Chronologies, and Billing Summaries
* **Chat History** — **New Chat**, plus every past conversation in this matter
#### Starting a conversation
To ask Paxton something about this matter, select **Chat** at the top right, or **New Chat** under **Chat History** in the left sidebar. The conversation opens scoped to the current matter and can draw on its files, jurisdiction, and built-in legal research from the first message.
See [Conversations with Paxton](https://help.paxton.ai/help/ai-assistant/using-the-ai-assistant) for what you can ask and how context works.
The sections you'll spend the most time in have their own articles:
---
# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.
## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:
```
GET https://help.paxton.ai/help/matters/using-matters-in-paxton.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
